given you a reason to stay
by let's.just.fly.away
Summary: "This is fact not fiction, for the first time in years" Modern day Dany/Jorah AU.


Fandom: Game of Thrones  
Pairing: Dany/Jorah

AN: Modern Day AU, based off of dragonplantnotrees's gifset on tumblr. Go check it out over on her tumblr (dragonsplantnotrees . tumblr post/ 15205282988/daenerys-jorah-au-plot-is-left-to-your; just remove the spaces) so you can see where my inspiration came from! This has literally been months in the making, so I apologize if it makes no sense whatsoever.

She doesn't know when he's coming home. Professor Mormont (_Jorah, _she reminded herself over and over again) had to go to a disciplinary meeting at her college. He left her with a quick kiss and a promise to call when it was over.  
It killed her inside because it was because of her that she was going. Her and her need to act on her emotions, her and her searching for something tangible in life.  
Dany, full name Daenerys, obviously preferring the former, met Professor Mormont on the first day of her international relations class. She was the daughter of a disgraced diplomat who later died in shame. She and her brother, Viserys, lived together in an off campus apartment once she started at his university in America, where they had moved to after her father's shame.  
She shudders and remembers that time as she waits.

* * *

Viserys had essentially sold her to the star quarterback of the football team in order to gain his former popularity back. After their father had disgraced himself, Viserys lost all credibility on campus, and he was desperate to do anything to get it back.  
So he forced Dany to date Drogo (and sometimes she wonders how in this time all the people with such unique names found each other), despite their culture barriers. And then something happened.

She grew to care for him. They sat next to each other in Professor Mormont's class and grew to understand each others cultures. Throughout that time, the professor had answered her questions to the best of his ability about why Drogo and other Americans acted the way they did. Viserys had never really let her socialize with other Americans, believing that where they came from was superior and should not be mixed. His hypocrisy and prejudice sickened Dany.  
Drogo called her his sun and stars, and she believed him. Naive at the time, Dany had never received this kind of affection before; Viserys had never let any boy near her growing up.  
However, Viserys was angry. He wanted to become credible on campus again, and Drogo was doing nothing to give him that back. Viserys stormed in on their date one night, raving about how he wanted his "crown" back.  
His crown teeth were later found knocked out of his jaw, and he lay dead on the pavement from a cracked head.  
Drogo apologized, saying he never meant to kill him, and that no one suspected them.  
Dany didn't care. A weight had been lifted off of her shoulders, and she no longer had to endure Viserys's abuse and domineering personality. She was free to _live._

* * *

Professor Mormont asked her to remain after class one day.  
"Yes, Professor? Is something wrong with my project?" she asked, beckoning Drogo to leave.

"Absolutely not, you're one of my brightest students. I'm concerned about you, Dany. Viserys died, and I'm just worried because of that".  
She stiffened. "He was not strong like I am, Professor. Life must go on, despite everything that has happened to me".  
"You have fire in your blood, _khalessi," _he said.  
"_Khalessi? _What does that mean, Professor Mormont?"

He chuckled. "It means 'queen' or 'strong one', Dany. You are most fitting of the title".  
She stood up straight. "Thank you for your concern, Professor"  
"Call me Jorah. And if there's anything I can ever do for you, all you have to do is ask".  
She smiled and nodded, and left to find Drogo.  
After she left, Jorah buried his head in his hands, because he knew he should not feel this way about a student, about someone so much younger than he was.  
He quietly admitted to himself that he cared much more for Dany than he ever cared for his ex-wife.

* * *

It is said that tragedies come in threes, and Dany experienced this firsthand.  
First her father, then her brother, and now Drogo.  
He had been playing a football game when two opposing players tackled him at the same time. He didn't get up, and she screamed and ran toward the field.  
"Get up, Drogo. Get up!"  
Jorah came toward her then, grabbing her by the shoulders.  
"Come on, Dany. He's going to the hospital. I'll take you there".

He escorted her from the stadium and they rushed to find Drogo's room once they arrived.  
"How is he?" she asked.  
"Not well," a nurse replied. "His doctor thinks he'll be lucky if he makes it through the night".  
She collapsed in Jorah's arms. "He must live, he has to. I need him".

Thinking about it now, she realizes how young she was then. How little awareness of the world she possessed. She needed him then, but not in the way she needs Jorah now. She's aware, but Jorah still isn't home. Dany's left to reminisce about the events leading up to today.

* * *

Drogo died the next day of severe brain damage. Nothing could be done for him. Dany did not mourn for him loudly; she attended his cremation and burial quietly, with Jorah next to her.  
She wondered why her professor would travel with her to attend another student's funeral. She figured it was because the school needed to send someone, and he must have volunteered.  
In remembering that, she smiles, because it was because Jorah loved her even then. Before he really knew her the way he did today.  
He repeated his promise to her, that he would always help her if she asked for it, and sometimes when she didn't. She was very grateful for that, and it completely changed her life.

* * *

She doesn't remember when they settled into the pattern of being something more than student and teacher. Maybe it was the first time he invited her to his home to drink wine with her.  
They stayed up all night, discussing Great Britain, their home. How they dearly missed it, knowing that the chance they would return was slim.  
Dany had kissed him on the cheek as she left that night. Jorah touched it absentmindedly, and Dany blushed in embarrassment.  
"I'm sorry, Professor...that was inappropriate of me".  
He waved her off. "No, no. Not at all, Dany".

She remembers the first time she spent the night in his arms.  
She was finishing her second year at university, and crying over the one year anniversary of Drogo's death. He consoled her and brought her to his home.  
She curled up next to him in bed, and cried as she fell asleep. Jorah kissed her hair softly and held her throughout the night.  
When she woke up, both of them knew that their relationship transcended that of a student and her mentor. Jorah loved Dany in the way one lover seeks out another; because they fill each other not only physically but also emotionally and mentally.

Daenerys gave Jorah a sweet smile as the sun faded on her face through the blinds.  
"_Khalessi" _he murmured. "We can't continue as we are. We must become something more, or become nothing. There is no middle ground".  
She answered him by pressing her mouth firmly to his, and allowing him full reign of her body for the rest of the day.  
She had forgotten what it meant to be loved so completely, since she had seen no one since Drogo's death.  
But what she was experiencing with Jorah was so much more than Drogo had ever given her.  
She accepted that Jorah was her other half, and there was little she could to prevent what was to come.

* * *

It's now nearly seven o'clock at night. Jorah still hasn't returned home, and Dany is getting worried. He promised her he'd return three hours ago.

She went to open her phone to try and call him. She feels that this is all her fault, because she had to confide in her friend Doreah.

"Doreah, you promise not to tell anyone what I'm about to tell you?" Dany asked.  
Doreah raised her eyebrows, but nodded yes.  
"I'm seeing Professor Mormont. I had to tell someone; please don't tell anyone else! We could get into huge trouble!"

There are ears everywhere, though, and Doreah may have tried her hardest to keep her promise, but all it takes is one unattended drink to ruin everything.  
"I'm sorry, Dany, I'm so so sorry!" she said, but it made little difference to Dany.

_If I look back, I am lost, _she thought. _I can only look forward from here on out._

Dany is about to call Jorah, when all of a sudden she is overcome by complete and utter shame and guilt and cannot stop her tears from coming.

It takes her several minutes for her to regain her composure, but she remembers that she is Jorah's _khaleesi. _Queens are strong, and she cannot afford weakness, especially now.

She is about to hit send this time when she hears the creak of the front door open.  
Before she realizes what she's doing, Dany drops her phone on her seat and rushes downstairs.

Jorah's glum face brightens when he sees her practically running down the stairs and throwing herself into his arms.  
"Dany," he breathes into her hair. "Dany, we're okay. Whatever the university may do, they cannot stop us now. I get to keep my post, so long as we keep our business off of school campus and tell no one who does not know already".

She lets out a small sob of relief and happiness into his shoulder. "So we're all okay, then? We lose nothing?"

He pulls back. "We lose nothing, _khaleesi"._

And for once, Dany finds herself accepting complete and absolute bliss.


End file.
